


A Tale of Two Sisters

by KeJae



Category: Chuck (TV), White Collar (TV 2009)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-03-13
Packaged: 2021-03-14 13:47:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,506
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29419629
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KeJae/pseuds/KeJae
Summary: Neal knows the DEA is sending an agent for the task force between the FBI and Sterling and Bosch Insurance. What he doesn't does know, is that she's a name for Carina while Carina is really Sara's missing big sister Emily. Now he's stuck in the middle of his girlfriend and her sister with the FBI looking on! How will it change his relationships with Sara and his local friends, and will Carina reveal his situation to his old friends?
Comments: 14
Kudos: 24





	1. Caught Between a Rock and a Hard Place

*******

Standing in the records area, Neal searched for a specific cold case while ruminating on their current one. Originally, the team was pursuing a standard fraud operation. However, the further they had investigated the more complicated it got until they discovered the money laundering for drugs and weapons dealers. That was when everything got put on hold until the DEA could get a representative into their office for a taskforce.

Having checked the name of the representing agent, and not recognizing them, he figured there was no reason to worry about them knowing him as Bryce Larkin. So, Neal Caffrey, con man extraordinaire, was all he would have to be.

*******

Although he was curious about the visiting agent, Neal also had enough work to keep him busy. It was characteristic of Peter to bury him in paperwork as it was his way of ensuring that he was too busy to get into trouble. Too bad it didn't always work.

Finding his file, Neal started reading it as he walked towards his desk. As he navigated his way, Neal noted Peter's presence enough to walk around him and the woman he was talking to.

A quick glance at the woman caught a sleek blue dress and hair with a red tint.

Sara was expected, so he assumed she had arrived early. Since she and Peter seemed to be engaged in the conversation, Neal opted not to disturb them. He'd have plenty of time to talk to her later on their date.

Just after he'd passed his human obstacles, Neal caught a whiff of Sara's perfume as someone opened the door to their office.

Then everything happened quickly.

A sudden gasp sounded softly from the woman Peter was talking to.

Not paying it much mind, Neal continued to step forward until he was grabbed and spun around sending his file to the floor as he automatically got defensive. The woman planted a kiss on his lips and as he finally focused on his environment, Neal knew she wasn't Sara.

Pulling back quickly, it took him a moment to fully extract himself from her grasp.

Meanwhile, Sara approached from behind, Peter cleared his throat and the office quieted down for the show.

Having recognized the woman, Neal questioned her actions with a growl, "Carina?" without thinking about why she might be present.

"Emily?" Sara questioned as well while she approached from behind them. Then her voice got angry. "Why did you run away? Where have you been for nearly twenty years? And why are you kissing my boyfriend?"

This caused Carina to turn on him. "Boyfriend? Bryce, you're dating my sister now too?" She had her hands fisted by her side and he knew she was considering punching him.

Looking back and forth between them, Neal realized that he'd picked up hints towards this, but he hadn't had enough pieces before. "That explains a few things…" he muttered to himself. They were sisters!

"What? You know my sister? Dating me now too?" Sara marched to his other side angrily. She was wearing a green dress that he liked, but it wasn't the time to pay attention to how well she looked all fired up.

Caught in between a rock and a hard place, Neal put his hands up to show he was unarmed in an effort to calm the women down. When they both paused giving him silent glares, he took his chance quickly.

Turning to Sara, he addressed her first. "Apparently, she is your sister, but I only know her as Carina, a DEA superstar and the friend of a friend. I used to date said friend which is how I met Carina in the first place. Sarah, or whatever her real name is, broke up with me years ago and is probably married to my old friend by now. They were falling fast and hard for each other the last time I saw them."

Then he turned to Carina, "It's Neal here, not Bryce. Yes, Sara and I are dating. I didn't know she's your sister, or who you are more than your field name. I'm dating Sara for her, so her relationship to you doesn't play into it."

That started another round of confusion as Sara and Carina asked a lot of questions either of each other or of him. Their raised voices and emotional outburst increased the awkwardness of the situation for Neal as he stood in the middle.

As it usually goes, any effort he made to placate one caught the attention of the other and kept him in trouble with both sides.

When he looked to Peter pleadingly for assistance, Peter was looking surprised, slightly worried, and a little amused. Neither the escalating argument nor Neal's revealed secrets were a good situation, but apparently, Peter enjoyed seeing Neal struggling between two beautiful women. It wasn't a common sight and it showed that even the charming Caffrey could have women problems.

Taking pity on him after a moment, Peter nodded his head and then lifted his fingers to his mouth. Whistling loudly, Peter silenced both women by startling them back to their senses.

Looking around, Sara blushed which added to the heated red of her face while Carina dropped a professional mask to hide her emotions. The atmosphere turned serious.

Neal looked relieved and apprehensively at Peter. He was glad his friend was rescuing him from the situation, but he feared it was going to be followed up with a deeper inquiry once everyone was calmer and more focused.

"Get back to work everyone," Peter barked the command to the team before turning back to the group in front of him. His hands were on his hips now and he had a frown on his face as he looked down at them before his eyes fell on Neal and held. There was definitely going to be an inquiry later! After a moment, he directed them to follow him.

Sara followed easily as she trusted Peter, but Carina hesitated.

Neal ignored the mutters around him from the rest of the team. It wasn't like he'd intentionally gotten between two sisters, he wasn't that stupid. Still, he was caught up in the center of attention, so he could expect reactions for the time being.

Throwing glares at Jones and Diana specifically, he didn't encourage them to tease him since they were the most likely to throw comments at him later.

Seeing that Carina was still standing in place needing a little persuasion, Neal turned his focus onto her. "He's like the FBI version of Chuck; you can trust him, Carina." Neal encouraged with a nod for her to lead the way but she still refused until he started walking. Then she went beside him.

"What are you doing here Bryce, last I heard you were dead again?" Carina landed into him in Japanese so that the rest of the room wouldn't understand the conversation, at least not easily.

"If the bosses haven't told you, then the bosses don't want you to know," Neal responded in Japanese and evaded her easily while keeping a relaxed expression on his face. He didn't want to hint the team into what they might be talking about.

"You have a lot of explaining to do, I've seen Chuck and Sarah since you left, I've never heard of you going by Neal, and then there's your relationship with my sister!" Carina growled and snapped at him while remaining in Japanese. She was tense and wiry like a spring flexing and prepared to launch. This was an unexpectedly personal confrontation and she didn't know what to do with it.

Neal wasn't feeling too comfortable himself. "It's not like I had a choice, I technically died, again. You didn't have clearance or need to know, Neal Caffrey is a personal operation regarding my family. Sara, you don't have a say in who she dates and I didn't know anything about her except the obvious of who she is independent of you. I understand your desire to look out for your family, but you haven't been around to act upon that opinion. You wouldn't stop being DEA even if she asked you to, being sisters only goes so far when it comes down to it."

Neal looked up to the top of the stairs to avoid Carina's glare only to find Peter and Sara both looking down at him as he climbed up behind them, "What?"

"I don't speak that language but I still heard my name, what are you saying about me?" Sara frowned down at him looking disappointed and hurt.

Being honest, Neal answered her while Carina continued to watch how he treated her sister. "I understand that she wants to look out for you, but she doesn't control you, so she has to let you make your decisions. I'm with you for who you are, not any other reason, and she has to figure out how to deal with that for herself."

Peter was watching and listening to the whole conversation as he led them into the conference room. Standing by the door and encouraging everyone to find a seat, he closed the door to keep the noise contained, and then he took his own seat at the head of the table. "How about we take this one at a time, Sara?"

Peter sat as an agent observing and overseeing the conversation so he was upright in his seat with his hands loosely folded on the table. Neal sat beside him as a buffer from the ladies, but he was trying not to show his discomfort through his body language. Next to him, Sara sat nervously while across from her Carina took the seat nearest the door.

Taking a few moments, Sara tried to organize the many questions she had, particularly for Carina. Choosing which one she wanted to start with, she launched off with, "Why did you leave?"

Folding her hands in front of her and sitting upright, Carina didn't appreciate the situation but she was caught. "Don't tell me you enjoyed mom's and dad's mission for us to live the epitome of normal lives? Gymnastics, soccer, cheerleading, good grades, current trends, and all of those other things that people say a kid should experience or do to lead a successful life. That's not mentioning the strict curfews and rules to ensure we didn't get into trouble." Sighing, she explosively let out, "I was bored!"

Looking incredibly hurt, Sara got upset. "Bored? So you ran away and left us without any say, nothing, not even a goodbye, and thought that was okay, just because you were bored? I've been afraid you were dead! I've looked for you for years; I even came to New York because it was the last city you were traced to in the hopes of learning something! How can you use boredom as an excuse for something so drastic? Boredom calls for staying out late and getting into trouble, but not running away!"

Huffing, Carina wasn't daunted. "Like you know anything about feeling caged, desperate for a drastic change? I was itching to move and haven't stopped since."

Somewhere between screaming and crying, Sara's eyes were tearing up. "Caged? That's more like what I was trapped in after you left! Mom and dad wouldn't let me do anything outside of school and supervised activities, they were terrified I was going to run away too… at least when they remembered that I was around. I went all out earning double the accolades from my teachers and others in an effort to get mom and dad to see me. It was like I was trying to cover enough accomplishments for both of us!" Softening, she showed how she had been deeply hurt by everyone. "They were still too busy looking for you to see me."

Reaching over, Neal took Sara's hand and tried to offer some comfort to her. "It's never pleasant to have your parents forget about you." He didn't elaborate on his own experience, just expressed understanding, and kept his focus on her as she looked back at him.

Sara seemed to understand that he knew where she was coming from and nodded in acceptance of his words. Then she put her second hand on his and held on. This was an emotional roller coaster for her as her childhood pains were brought up again.

The room was silent around them until Hughes knocked on the door and let himself in. "What's going on?"

Taking the initiative, Peter got up and took Hughes next door to his office. He presumably filled the boss in, but they shut the door, so the silence remained amongst the rest of them.

Then after a few minutes, Peter came back while Hughes got the team together, "We've got pressure coming down from everyone that we need to get this operation going and close this case as soon as possible. I know the three of you have a lot of personal issues right now but are you ready enough to start the conference?"

Carina only took a few moments to say she was ready in her agent's voice, she'd shut her emotions out of it in order to do so, and Sara took a few moments longer before excusing herself to clean up.

With Sara no longer present, Neal turned to check on Carina confirming his assessment before turning to Peter. The archeologist was obviously curious and bursting with questions, but he also knew Neal wasn't going to answer those questions easily.

Smirking lightly, Neal knew Peter wouldn't question Sara because there was too much risk of her bursting into tears, and one of his biggest weaknesses was crying women. Then even if Peter tried, Carina wouldn't divulge the information any more easily than Neal, and she didn't know the answers to most of his questions even if she wanted to tell.

Giving Peter his answer to the question of whether he was ready or not, Neal stated, "I can put personal matters aside when the situation calls for it. And Peter, don't go thinking this is a freebee where I'll suddenly answer all of those questions bouncing around in your head. Your curiosity isn't going to be satiated easily."

Peter got that pinched look on his face like he already knew that. "That's only part of what's worrying me" he added a hand to his hip while swinging his free one expressively.

"I know you won't believe me, but there's nothing you need to worry about." Neal tried to deflect and redirect Peter's concern onto more important matters as he reclined back in his seat.

"You know I can't do that, even if you aren't up to something illegal, trouble seems to find you like a magnet." Peter angled his head to the side and softened his expression, he really did care what happened to him and this was a personal issue. Even if his Caffrey character wasn't getting up to anything illegal, he was notorious for following his heart no matter the trouble it got him into.

Softening his own expression, Neal enjoyed the normal sense of banter and camaraderie between him and Peter. "It does, but you don't have to come riding in like a white knight on this one. Agent Burke can leave his suit of armor at home."

Peter didn't seem to believe him, but he wasn't rushing for his steed which was a start, "We'll see."

Turning as the team filed in, Neal noticed the way Carina was watching him; she was taking everything in and analyzing it. Giving her an open glance and a shrug, Neal turned his attention to Jones and Diana with a smile to alleviate their concerns while trying to divert their curiosity before they started into him. "You can ask Peter about what little he learned later."

Following his directive, they both shot glances at Peter before pulling up seats and addressing the purpose of the meeting. This was business so everyone turned serious as the last people arrived and things got started.


	2. A Conference in the Conference Room

*******

Sitting in the conference room after the team had gone, Neal tried to ignore the eyes watching him. Carina was still glaring at him whenever their eyes met, Sara moved between watching Carina and Neal, and Peter watched them all.

"You still haven't shared what you did after you left? Where were you?" Sara hit Carina with one of the big questions. She was standing as she sorted paperwork but took advantage of their forced proximity to work through her issues.

"Umm… that's a long story," Carina was going through the paperwork as it was passed to her, but she tried to deflect away from going into details.

"It has been a long time… Don't underestimate how much time I've got." Sara wasn't going to be deterred as she put the pile of papers down. "Remember, I've had no idea if you were even alive. A lot of things could have happened."

Sighing, Carina seemed to give in reluctantly. "What do you know?"

Putting her focus onto Carina, Sara slid the papers aside for the moment. "According to what the police were able to find, you bought a bus ticket from home to here. After you came to New York City we lost all traces of you." Sniffling, Sara tried to keep her composure, but it was a losing battle. "The police thought you might have been abducted or something… eventually, they were looking for a body."

Dropping her eyes, Carina probably hadn't thought about what it was like on the other side. "That isn't far off of what might have happened."

Everyone paused in their activities. This wasn't something they had expected, although it wasn't farfetched.

"What?" Sara no longer had any professional focus; she was too worried about her sister.

Looking away from them, Carina wasn't comfortable being so open in front of others. "You probably know how living on the streets goes, at least in general. I spent the first while walking about learning my environment and sleeping where I could when I was tired. It didn't take long for me to find one of those shelters, you know, the kind that gives food and water to runaways to cover those needs. Some of them tried to send me home over the years, but I picked up contacts around them, kids who'd been around longer. They taught me how to survive on my own. It wasn't easy, but I loved it!" Carina shifted as she reminisced, she seemed to have enjoyed the adventure, but maybe not some of the hardships that came with it.

Sara sat down and leaned forward, she was taking in every word for the answers they were, "and? What happened?"

It took a moment for Carina to begin again. She seemed to be considering her words, what to tell, and what to skim past without detailing. "I was nearly eighteen by this point so most people considered me a hardened street rat, I knew how to survive and had gained enough independence that I usually went alone. One night, I found an abandoned building and was sleeping amongst some pallets. They weren't soft, but they kept me off the ground and made it harder for the rats to find me." The story didn't sound pleasant or exciting, but it was the life she'd chosen. "I was woken up sometime in the early hours of the morning by a lot of noise. A bunch of people were milling around arguing about a job they'd just pulled, saying details and complaining about how close it had come to the DEA catching them. They were heavily armed, and things were escalating when one man pulled out a gun and shot another. I was the witness, to the details they'd shared about the case and to the murder. I squeaked at the violence and bumped a board that made noise. They found me."

Getting up and moving to Sara's side, Neal took a seat and put his arm across her shoulders. She was pale and shaking with fear.

Continuing with her story, Carina seemed to do some editing. "They wanted to know who I was and how much I'd heard, the basics really. I escaped as soon as they stepped away to call the boss and decide what to do with me. Their guard thought I was too young and stupid to manage, but I'd learned a lot on the streets." She seemed amused by his assumption. "I don't know how she did it, but one of the DEA agents pursuing them managed to learn there was a witness. After a lot of effort and some luck and she managed to track me down. You could call her my mentor, she helped me give my testimony, set me up for a GED test, and suggested I apply for the DEA. It sounded like an adventure with greater purpose, so I took her up on the offer. Over the years, I worked up the ranks and in some areas, she pulled me with her until I had my own reputation. Now, I work in Washington and am the top agent in my field."

Carina hadn't elaborated, but Neal knew she did more climbing on her own than she was helped with. She was a go-getter and determined. Still, downplaying some of what she did to climb was probably a good idea; Sara didn't need to know the risks her sister had taken.

Sara had questions, but Carina didn't provide many answers. Her story had been summarized and that was all she was going to say on the matter.

Peter had been slowly working through his pile of paperwork, but with the conversation stagnating, he encouraged the others to resume their activities. They all had a job to do.

*******

Later, when lunch had arrived and they were taking an official break to eat it, the conversation picked up again. There were too many unanswered questions and Sara was still the one initiating conversation since Carina wasn't eager to divulge her secrets.

"How did you meet Neal?" Holding her sandwich and looking between them, Sara figured she could get the answer out of one if not the other, but she wanted her sister's perspective as well as her boyfriend's.

Knowing it was a gamble, that Carina was a bit wild at times and might say too much underestimating their audience, Neal tried to encourage her to share with her sister. "Why don't you start this one, it was your case?" He did throw a warning glance at her to be safe, a reminder not to blow his cover.

Then while Carina was looking at him, gauging why he was risking giving her the lead, Neal glanced over at Peter.

The archeologist was in full focus as Peter looked right back at him. He was too curious to pass up this opportunity.

Drawing Neal's attention back her way, Carina taunted him with a tease, "What, you trust me to tell it the way you want?"

"I trust you to do the story justice. You know what to keep and leave out." Neal didn't rise to her bait. Carina liked to play games and not playing them was the surest way out. He wasn't Casey, he'd never fallen for her efforts to seduce him or trick him. She'd tried, but she hadn't succeeded.

"Fine, it's not like you were invited in the first place." Carina dropped her teasing expression showing it had just been another game. She was still angry with him and hadn't made up her mind on what she thought of him yet.

"The short of it, I had a case and things were getting complicated. It was suggested that I bring in an agent from another agency," Neal cleared his throat around his bite of sandwich and she rolled her eyes before editing, "alright, ordered. I pushed for another taskforce agent I'd worked with off and on through the years; I guess you could call her my best friend. She brought her boyfriend, who you know as Neal." She didn't skip over the jab of pointing out that her little sister didn't know him, not even his name.

As all eyes fell on him, Neal was encouraged to explain his connection to this agent. Breathing deeply for a moment, he set his sandwich down and thought of what to say, "I'd also worked with her off and on for a few years. Then we started working together regularly. We were attracted to each other and didn't have anyone else in our lives at the time, so a relationship happened."

"Happened?" Sara asked while Carina glared again to the tinkling of ice as she stirred her drink.

Sighing, Neal felt like he should have expected that. His love life was too interesting to these people. "When the only person you see from one week to the next is the same, they're attractive, smart, and you're lonely, there is plenty to draw you together, even if you ultimately aren't the right person for each other. As I said before, she met my friend and he was the right one, they're probably married by now." He turned to Carina for confirmation in the hopes of directing the conversation back to her.

"You'd know that if you'd stuck around," she wasn't going to let him passed that. Why it was such an issue was something Neal hadn't figured out yet. Was she upset that he'd left her friend, or was she worried about what he might do to her sister? Maybe both?

"And you know some of why I didn't have a choice; I'm not talking about that any further." He wasn't cleared too even if he wanted to, but he certainly didn't want Peter or Sara learning about that. It was too dangerous for them. "Your sister would like to know more about you, so why don't we return to the present story of you and your best friend?"

The subject wasn't dropped, but Carina let it go until a better opportunity arose. "Sarah and I had been assigned taskforce work in the past; we were a part of a team and had had various additional assignments because of that. Although there was a traitor in our midst, so eventually the team broke up, Sarah and I remained friends and continued to cross each other's paths in work." Picking at her food, Carina wasn't comfortable but she seemed to feel like she owed her sister at least some information since she couldn't escape her. "She was my choice to work with as the top agent in her field and someone I could trust."

Working on his meal while everyone listened to Carina, Neal remembered that case. Carina had been working on an assignment that kept being sabotaged, it was assumed to be The Hand since he was her primary nemesis, so she was ordered to bring Sarah in. Sarah had in turn brought him along as her boyfriend and partner at the time. He was to provide external observation and additional support just in case he could catch something they'd missed.

"Things got rough before the case was done, but we worked together and accomplished the goal."

Carina didn't go into details, but Neal could remember what she avoided. Including her effort to seduce him after the case was over. Did she tell all of Sarah's boyfriends that she wanted what her friend had?

Suddenly, he wondered if Chuck had been put through that particular red test. He would have passed if he was, but it was still a random curiosity that crossed his mind.

Voicing his curiosity, Neal asked, "Did Chuck get that same treatment?"

Raising an eyebrow, Carina knew what he was referencing. "Why do you care?"

Rolling his eyes, he wasn't interested in her romantically and didn't want her to renew her efforts. "I'm sure he would have passed the test if you did, but I'm curious if that's something you always do?"

Smiling, she seemed amused by the memory, "He passed."

So, she did put him through her own red test. Snorting, Neal could easily imagine Chuck's shock and panicked efforts to get away from the temptress. He was also loyal to his woman, but perhaps more naïve and awkward about handling such an encounter, especially since he hadn't been trained and experienced in that aspect of being a spy in the early days. A wave of nostalgia washed over him and Neal really missed his old friend, but he probably wouldn't see him again, so he tried to fight it off.

"You could call him you know, he would probably fall off of his chair, but he'd be happy to hear from you," Carina seemed to sense the source of his sudden quietness.

"If only it were that simple…" between Orion telling him to stay away, the official dictation that Bryce remain dead, and their complicated history, it wasn't as simple as a phone call. Shaking his head sadly at the others, he wasn't going to explain. It was life-threatening to all of them if he connected his identities.

He avoided looking at the others to discourage their questions. It probably wouldn't work to avoid them altogether, but he hoped they'd get the point and not push the subject. While he was otherwise combating his own emotions, Neal listened as Carina turned the conversation onto him in another fashion.

"How did you meet him? Neal, I mean." Carina asked of her sister, she was curious about what got her sister involved with him.

"He stole my painting!" Sara still hadn't gotten that back and it was a point of contention in their relationship.

Turning her attention towards him, Sara sent a flash of irritation mixed with a teasing understanding. "Neal's a world-renown criminal and thief, so it's no surprise that he used a painting to try and reach out to his ex-girlfriend. Kate was a big fan of Raphael. However, it was insured by Sterling and Bosch so I was assigned to retrieve it. Chasing him brought my path across Peter's and we've worked together at times, including testifying against Neal at his trial. Being each other's contacts, Peter and I have worked other cases too, and since Neal's had his work release, that meant he comes with the FBI package."

Listening, Neal knew Carina was somewhere between making fun of him for playing a criminal and being worried that her sister would date a criminal. This conversation wasn't helping her dislike of their relationship at all.

Reaching out and touching his hand, Sara seemed to be extending some comfort to him. When he looked up she rewarded him with an affectionate smile. "I got to know Neal through those cases. He's smart, playful, adventurous, and he cares about the people around him. There are times where he colors outside of the lines, but it's never been about the money. It's easy to see what Peter sees in him, there's more to Neal than the shiny conman you see at first glance." Turning his hand over, Neal let her weave her fingers through his. "My favorite part of him is his heart, but his smile doesn't hurt."

Snorting, Carina had their attention as everyone turned towards her. "Oh, boy, is he a romantic!"

"You don't have to say it like it's a bad thing," Sara defended him. "Neal is romantic, but that helps him pay attention to the little things. He knows how to sweep a girl off of her feet." She squeezed his fingers gently and smiled at him.

"It makes him easier to catch, something I appreciate," Peter smirked at him playfully. Then he answered Carina's questioning glance, "He walked into a trap for a chance to talk to Kate again. My agents and I had spread the word of where she was and he took the risk for a brief conversation."

"Kate Moreau, look her up when you get back to your agency computers." Neal directed to Carina since she was obviously growing curious about this ex-girlfriend. She might see that she was a taskforce agent pursing Adler, but the operation had blown up on her, literally. "She was murdered." He squeezed Sara's fingers lightly, but then he got up and picked up the wrappings from his sandwich to clear his space.

Then he took a break to slip away briefly. They could talk about Kate if they wanted to, but he didn't appreciate being present for the conversation. Sure, they'd broken up for real, but he had loved her, and he'd failed to protect her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, everyone, for reading, following, choosing to favorite, leaving kudos, and reviewing/commenting :D


	3. Sibling Rivalry

*******

The afternoon brought a new dynamic to their interactions.

Neal had been discussed, so Sara had a vague notion of what his connection to her sister was while Carina had learned the public information relating to his role as Caffrey.

No longer holding the focal point, Neal knew he was still a connection to both sisters, but he enjoyed stepping out of the limelight.

Instead, the sisters became more focused on each other. Something akin to proving they were good at their jobs and didn't need the other?

Sitting on his side of the table, Neal was endeavoring to remain out of the way as he sat working on the paperwork with Peter.

Peter was also trying to remain sidelined to the situation brewing on the other end of the table.

"I'm an agent, so I should take a more prominent position when we do the takedown." Carina was arguing for her abilities to defend herself being superior to her sister's defense training.

"So, I do similar work without the training which is a lot harder, and I've been doing it for years. I've taken self-defense classes and am more than adept with a baton. Don't worry about me; I will be there when we do this," Sara held her ground and refused to back down.

"What would mom and dad say if they knew you were taking risks for an insurance policy? Wouldn't they want you to do something tamer?"

Carina tried a bogus defense that had Neal wincing. Apparently, Carina hadn't paid any attention to her family after she left.

Freezing, Sara dropped her volume and softened her voice. "You don't know?"

Catching onto the implication, Carina also froze and looked to her questioningly, "know what?"

"They're dead, mom and dad died years ago," Sara stated the sad words which had Carina racing from the room.

Holding up his hand, Neal got up and followed her. Carina would be angry and sad and might not like him intruding, but he could also be someone she could yell at and hit, so perhaps he could help her handle it. In any case, she needed someone there to offer support and he knew more about her agent approach to life than the others did.

Finding her in a back hallway, Neal knew Carina would have scoped out the place to know the escape routes and separate places where she could report in private if she needed to.

Pacing back and forth, Carina was working her phone while speaking quickly and low in other languages. She desperately wanted her sister's words to be wrong, but she was only finding confirmation it seemed.

"Carina?" Neal knew well enough to approach with caution. She might be the tamest of the CATS, but she was still wild.

Turning on him, she got in his face, "Leave me alone! You have no part in this!"

"They weren't my parents, but I've been around you more in recent years. I'm here in case you need to talk, scream, or something to help handle the initial reaction. My father's partner was there for me when my world fell apart; you deserve to have someone here if you want them." He stood calmly and didn't take her reaction personally.

She let him have it! Carina yelled all about how she'd been trapped in a world her parents created, that she'd left because she needed to get out into the world and discover who she was. Then she started crying despite her efforts to rein the emotions in. "They were supposed to be there…"

Taking her into a hug despite her stiffening response, Neal was firm but gentle. "I'm sorry, Carina. We see our parents as immortal and perfect when we're kids, but we learn their imperfections as we grow older before having to face their mortality at some point." Then he quietly provided comfort as she cried into his shoulder.

It didn't take her long to pull it together enough to wear her mask and pull away. She didn't like showing weakness, but this had taken her by complete surprise!

Seeing that she was through the worst of the initial reaction, Neal honored her wishes and returned to the office leaving her to have some time alone before rejoining them.

Taking his seat by Peter, Neal noticed that Sara looked upset as she tried to shuffle papers and Peter was awkwardly eyeing her in his peripheral.

"Are you okay?" Neal asked Sara checking on her as well.

"Yeah," she sniffed, "I was here for their death, I've known about it since it happened."

"It's still an emotional situation; you're facing their deaths again in your sister's reaction." Neal gave her an out to release the emotions she was fighting.

Crying a little, Sara showed that she was struggling, but she was right to say she'd dealt with the emotions before because it didn't take her long to regain her control.

Moving to push the box of tissues Peter had already retrieved closer, Neal put his arm across Sara's shoulders while she pulled a few to dab at her eyes.

When Carina got back, Sara was calming down as well so they all settled down to a more sedate pace of processing the paperwork. It was quieter as the sisters continued to process their emotions while Peter remained at his end of the table to avoid the emotional females and Neal shifted as necessary to help everyone get through the rest of the day.

*******

At the end of the day, Neal pulled Sara aside for a private conversation in Peter's office while the agent remained at the conference room table next door wrapping up their work with Carina.

"You aren't canceling on me, are you?" Sara seemed to read his mind, but he wasn't sure if she was teasing or worried about his answer.

"I have no intention of ultimately canceling with you, but with your sister's appearance, I thought you might want to spend some time with her. We could do something smaller, or wait a few days so that you can make up for at least some of the time you've lost with her." Neal looked down into her eyes conveying his genuine desire to spend time with her, but also his concern for her feelings and relationship with her sister. He didn't have any siblings, but if he did, he liked to think he'd enjoy the chance to spend time with them.

Seeming caught by the logic of his points, Sara stood looking to the side at Peter's shelves as if she was seeking inspiration, or perhaps understanding of what she wanted? Everything had been happening so quickly, she'd been caught in a whirlwind of emotion. "Can she come with us? She doesn't seem to approve of us dating, and as much as I want to spend time with her, I don't want to lose it with you, so maybe show her how we are in our personal time?"

Pulling her into his arms, Neal couldn't deny her, so he agreed to the arrangement if Carina was willing. "But, you do know that I can't be your buffer forever? You'll eventually have to spend time talking and alone with her."

Leaning into him, Sara relaxed for the comfort of normalcy. "I know, but I appreciate your help while we begin a foundation."

Sharing a kiss, they then returned to the conference room knowing they needed to help wrap up the work and that Peter would want his office so that he could get home to Elizabeth.

Peter continued his work without paying them much mind, but Carina seemed interested in what had transpired in the room next door.

"You two have a date or something?" Carina's tone was harsher than usual showing that she still wasn't pleased with their relationship.

"You're invited to join us if you'd like," Sara didn't back down, but her tone also came off a little too harsh too, so she backed up and reworded her point more gently. "What I mean is, I want to get to know you, but also for you to see me outside of the office, to see me with Neal outside of the office. You've just blown back into my life after not seeing me since I was a little girl. I'm not the same person I was then, so maybe you ought to get to know me and those around me before you make assumptions about what I should be doing with my life."

Carina couldn't argue, so although she didn't seem entirely pleased, she gave in and agreed to go out with them for the evening.

Peter had been watching the whole time, but he cautiously put his two cense worth in asking, "Do you need a lift to June's?"

Taking their plans into consideration, Neal decided it wouldn't hurt. "June is letting me borrow the Jag tonight so, yeah, I could use the lift." Besides, it would give Peter a chance to talk to him without risking upsetting the sisters.

Finishing up the division of what they were going to tackle the next day, the group began moving towards their evening activities. Peter went to his office to put things away and lock them up, and Sara and Carina made their plans for getting ready and meeting at Sara's place before Neal was to pick them up.

After seeing the sisters off, Neal went down to his desk and began his own task of putting his things away and locking up for the night. By the time he'd finished, Peter was there and ready to go home.

*******

It was familiar to go through their walk to the car and beginning the drive home, but as expected, Peter had some questions.

"So, you know the DEA agent, Carina?"

"Yes, and her friend who is an agent, and my old school friend who became an agent. I've crossed paths with a lot of people from a variety of backgrounds." Neal knew that wouldn't be enough for Peter, but he hoped that in being honest, he'd alleviate at least some of Peter's concerns.

"Was it dangerous, that case you worked with the agents?" It wasn't an unexpected question, Peter usually liked to look out for him.

Again, he had to answer with a, "yes. The case was dangerous. Carina didn't want to elaborate in front of her sister, but it was a close call for a while there. However, you know the importance of good agents, and Carina and her friend aren't the leads in their agencies for nothing." It was risky, Peter might be able to research too much knowing Sarah and the lead in her agency, but it still wouldn't be an easy search to confirm anything. Those records were mostly blacked out for security purposes, viewing them required clearance and need to know, neither of which Peter had.

"You aren't going to share any of those details, are you?" Peter glanced at him while navigating the evening traffic.

"Would you appreciate me telling Carina about our cases for the sake of her curiosity?" Neal turned the question back at Peter in another form, and he knew Peter would understand.

Sighing, Peter had to admit defeat in that line of inquiry. "No, I wouldn't appreciate it, and you'd be risking serious trouble if you did so." He was quiet for a few minutes either due to thought or the traffic, but since he was used to the traffic, Neal thought he was thinking up a different approach. "Is there anything I should know, about your history with these agents?"

"Nothing specific, but I'm asking you not to push. I know you're tempted to go to the office early tomorrow and research or to have Jones and Diana research Carina to find known associates in the hopes of netting something about me. However, that could put you all at risk. There are things, things in my past that you wouldn't expect, things that could put you all in danger, and I don't want to risk it. So, please, drop this line of inquiry and trust me. I know it goes against the grain, but I need you to trust me on this." Neal was earnest, serious, and he hoped that Peter would understand how much he truly meant what he said.

Researching his history could lead them to find out too much about his association with the CIA, which would either bring the CIA or his enemies down on them and satiating their curiosity wasn't worth that. If there was a genuine risk to their safety, he'd either tell them what they needed to know or draw the danger away, but since there wasn't anything at this point, he didn't want to attract any potential trouble if he could help it.

"I trust you, Neal. When it counts; you've never let me down. It isn't going to be easy, but I won't push this, at least not now, but if anything from your past looks like it might be an issue, then I want to know. Don't try to take everything on alone, that's what working with a team is for. Do you understand me, do you trust me?" Peter used the opportune red light to look at him for his answer.

Softening his expression, Neal appreciated the reminder of Peter's strengths. Not only was he the archeologist who liked to get to the bottom of a situation, to find the truth, he was also a white knight who looked out for his people. "I trust you Peter, and I understand what you mean, but I can't guarantee something like that would play out the way you want. Some things, well, let's just say that some things are more up other agents' alleys. Protecting you, Elizabeth, Sara, June, the team, it might require agents from a different field, especially if the threat comes from a different field." It wasn't a promise not to take things on alone, but it would give Peter hope that he had help from somewhere should he ever need it.

Having to be content with the answer, Peter grunted with a hint of frustration as he noted Neal's omission, "As long as you get help when you need it."

"I always do what I can," Neal didn't want to worry Peter, but he also knew there were circumstances where he couldn't ask for help. It was the best way he could think of to appease his friend and prevent him from putting himself in harm's way.

It seemed to be enough, for the time being at least, so Peter dropped the subject and let Neal take a break for the rest of the drive.

When they arrived at the mansion, Peter smirked at Neal, "Don't call me on this one, I don't want to join you between a rock and a hard place…"

"Thanks, you're really helpful…" Neal rolled his eyes at his friend before getting out to Peter's laughter.

Shaking his head, Neal didn't bother with any additional retorts, so he waved and headed into the mansion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, everyone, for reading, leaving kudos, reviewing/commenting, choosing to favorite, and following :D


	4. Awkward Attitude

*******

Spending the evening with Carina was awkward for Neal.

If she wasn't glaring at him, she was testing him.

Carina watched him interact with the waitress, random passersby, but she was particularly focused on him and every interaction that he had with Sara throughout the evening.

Fortunately, or unfortunately, as the case could be, there was a point in the evening where Sara excused herself which left Neal alone with Carina.

Seeing that she was ramping up to let him have it, Neal held up his hands in a defensive motion. "Before you yell at me again for not telling Walker, Chuck, or any of the others, it was six months. Six months before I was accidentally rescued, again; and they were otherwise occupied at the time, you might remember that they'd graduated to the Ring. Then due to the number of rogue agents out for my blood, it was decided that I remain dead, for good this time. I'm on permanent loan assignment to play Neal Caffrey."

"Don't blame any danger you bring on these people on me!" Carina got defensive and jumped to conclusions as she leaned forward growling across the table at him.

There were people around, but no one was close enough to hear their conversation. Still, there were some glances in response to the obvious hostility in her posture.

"Keep it down!" Neal reminded her that they were in public.

Then he responded while trying not to get riled up as well. "I'm not saying that the Ring trying to kill me has anything to do with you, Carina. I am saying that if you blow my cover here and let anyone connected to them know that I was revived again, it would bring their attention down on everyone that is close to me. Do you really think that I enjoy leaving my family and every friend that I have ever had behind for the simple fun of running away and playing criminal? I am not allowed to contact anyone from my past and have to strictly keep in character here to protect as many people as possible."

"It's only a matter of time before someone makes the connection… what is your plan then?" Carina was obviously worried about her sister's safety. Nothing else would intrigue her, she didn't know the others, and she didn't care about him.

Breathing through his nose, Neal looked at her closely as he analyzed the answer to her question. "It depends on who makes the connections… Chuck and the team are allies even though they aren't official anymore, but should any enemy agents figure it out, either I'll have to disappear into a new name, take them for a whirlwind tour of the world like Orion taught me to, or something else, but I won't endanger my friends if I can help it."

"So, you'll lie to my sister even if it means breaking her heart?" Carina screeched in a high-pitched whisper at him while planting her hands on the table between them.

It wasn't easy to retain control of the situation, but Neal knew they couldn't attract too much attention. "Yes, Carina, I would do anything to protect Sara!" He growled softly back at her, "Which also means not attracting attention," he nodded his head to indicate the other people who were watching them.

Glancing around, Carina also saw what he was indicating, that she was attracting too much attention. Breathing deeply, Carina took a few moments to regain her composure. "Yet you endanger my sister by dragging her down with you?"

"He isn't dragging me anywhere. You haven't been in the picture since we were kids so don't suddenly try to tell me who to be involved with… besides you didn't seem to have any qualms about being in a relationship with him yourself!" Sara hissed from over them as he stood beside the table.

How had Sara learned about that? Neal looked between the squabbling sisters with a shocked expression on his face.

When he wasn't noticed for a few moments, Neal whistled to break up the argument. "Sara, Carina," he instructed them to follow him outside. They had eaten and were disrupting the restaurant, so it was better to take it outside before they got thrown out.

As they stood on the pavement in the cool evening air, Neal tried to restore the peace. "Sara, Carina is aware of more of my past than you are, some of the dangers that I've run into. We're talking far worse than Keller or any of the enemies you know me to be associated with. Carina just wants you to remain safely away from that. Although she left, she still wants to keep you safe."

It appeared to be the right things to say as the situation was diffused, Sara calmed down and Carina huffed but loosened her posture as well.

Taking a deep breath himself, Neal still wasn't comfortable being caught between the sisters, but it was easier to relax with them when they weren't fighting.

"You remind me of Chuck and Sarah," Carina grumbled as she watched the way her sister calmed down to match Neal's more relaxed attitude. However, the comment seemed to have affected her because Carina frowned and went quiet as she realized the importance of her comment.

Falling silent as well, Neal contemplated the depth of the statement too. Was he in love with Sara, that kind of in love, love?

Looking between them, Sara noticed that there was something important to that statement, but neither one explained what it meant.

With the evening generally spoiled, they decided to call it a night.

Taking the women home, Neal bid Carina goodnight but remained on the stoop with Sara for a more lingering parting.

Kissing him, Sara fingered his tie as she asked him again, "What did my sister mean when she said you remind her of Chuck and Sarah?"

Knowing that he needed to provide some form of an answer, but uncertain as to what it meant, Neal just told her it was good. "I need to think about it before I'll know fully what she meant."

"Let me know the verdict," Sara requested before giving him one last kiss goodnight and heading into her home.

Seeing the curtain close, Neal knew Carina had been spying on them, but at least she'd done so from inside the place instead of remaining closer to eavesdrop.

Turning away, Neal went home to the loft.

*******

Settling in at his computer once he'd changed, Neal began researching.

He had Carina's name of Emily from Sara, her operation alias Carina, and the name of the agent they were working with. Going to work, he endeavored to research as many details as he could with his clearance and access.

It was easy enough to trace the information on Emily Ellis. She had grown up with Sara in a relatively normal environment before she ran away. Then she had the missing person records and her family's efforts to find her.

He knew the basic reputation and case history for Carina through their past interactions, but much of it was classified since he didn't need to know about them.

Finally, the name that had been listed as the agent sent to work with them, was linked to Carina's records post when she was found by the DEA. It was her legal name which was why it hadn't been on his radar before. However, it should have been on someone else's radar.

Dialing up Beckman, Neal showed her the information that he had discovered and how it all interconnected. "It's possible that Peter or Sara might figure too much out, Carina connects to my CIA history."

"Has anything been said?" She reviewed the information while keeping the camera in her computer focused on herself. Being at home, she apparently didn't want to share her personal life.

"Not explicitly, but this is Peter and Sara we're talking about. He's already going archeologist on me, and Sara is watching me more closely than usual." Neal knew it didn't sound intimidating, but he also knew not to underestimate them.

Frowning, Beckman seemed to agree with him, they weren't to be underestimated. "I will work on damage control." With nothing else to discuss, she disconnected in her usual abrupt manner.

With his work done, Neal got ready to sleep.

Stretched out on his bed, Neal found that he couldn't go to sleep. Shifting, his pillows were comfortable, he wasn't hot or cold, and the mattress didn't have anything to complain about, he was comfortable. But, he still couldn't sleep.

Trying to think about it, he realized that his mind was revolving around a certain red-head, Sara.

What Carina had said was on his mind. Did he love Sara? Like Chuck loved Sarah?

Thinking about her as he drifted off to sleep, Neal realized that he did, he did indeed love Sara Elis, like Chuck loved Sarah and Peter loved Elizabeth.

*******

The next morning, the group reconvened in the conference room. They had their final preparations to arrange before the takedown was expected to go down in the afternoon.

Grumbling on her side of the table, "Morons," Carina clearly wasn't in a good mood. Had she slept poorly, bothered by the thought that Bryce was in love with her sister, or was it something more?

Smirking, Neal knew that she at least sounded normal, she had always been in the 'FBI are morons crowd.' "This team isn't your characteristic FBI team; they're the best I've seen."

"Uh-huh, I'm sure they've got you all figured out." She gave him a pointed look, obviously referencing the FBI's inability to see him for the agent he truly was.

Rolling his eyes at her, Neal knew that his case was a special scenario. He was a deep-cover operative that had performed the role to perfection. Even the archeologist hadn't caught on, despite being one of his dearest friends and his partner who worked with him nearly every day. "That's different, and you know it."

Frowning at him, Carina didn't elaborate, but she obviously didn't like the reminder.

"Something wrong?" Peter asked as he moved to stand beside Neal.

"I don't think so…" but, Carina in a bad mood could be an issue.

Fortunately, the rest of the team interrupted anything he might have said as they entered the conference room to begin their preparation work.

There was a lot of work to do and no time for additional personal conversations.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, everyone, for reading, commenting/reviewing, and leaving kudos :D


	5. Operation Reveal

*******

Neal sat relaxed in his seat while he reviewed the information. Peter was to be the lead person going in with Carina as his second while he and Sara were performing as support characters. It was an unusual number of people, but the taskforce and circumstances required all of their skills.

Going into the field, the team organized for the operation.

Putting on their safety gear and wiring up at the support location, they needed to ensure that the suspects didn't try to use their weapons against them, but they were also eager to ensure that they got enough evidence against them to make clean arrests.

"Ready?" Peter asked to make sure they had all completed their gear checks and were ready to go.

After they each confirmed, the group got into the car that was functioning as their ride to the meeting. It was a quiet ride as they each reviewed their lines in preparation for their performance, but it was also a short one so there wasn't much time.

As it usually went, time seemed to speed up the closer they got to their operation.

Arriving at the appointment, Neal led the way out of the car followed by Sara, Carina, and then Peter. Neal was to check the location, Sara and Carina were to get their suspects to let their guard down, and Peter followed making them wait for the lead man.

Approaching the building, they soon found that the initial rooms were a front for a larger shipping area in the back where the suspects were waiting for them.

Walking into the room, Neal saw the men standing around, but as they turned, one revealed a gun and immediately pulled the trigger.

Neal froze as he heard Peter grunt behind him.

Then a quick check showed Peter crouched on the ground with his hands holding his leg to stem the blood. He'd laid the briefcase he had been carrying on the ground beside him; it contained the money they were going to invest in exchange for weapons.

As Neal watched, Carina edged away from their group as if she was preparing to make a run for it, Sara moved closer to Peter anxiously since he was hurt and she knew that the operation was going sideways, and the men who had shot Peter moved towards their group with more guns raised.

"Push the briefcase this way, or we'll finish him off," the leader ordered.

Stepping in between Peter and the threat, Neal kept his hands loose and his posture solid. He wanted to be ready for anything without showing any weakness. It looked like he'd be playing a more vital role in this operation after all.

"What happened to our agreement? This money was to be in exchange for a package. How can we be certain you're going to complete the exchange if we hand the case over now?" Neal stared them down and held his ground.

They spoke in another language, but Neal could still translate that they were discussing the 'tough guy' and the things they might do to him.

"So, I'm a 'tough guy,' but you still believe that you can pull a double-cross?" Neal assumed the lead role. "You already fell for the ploy that my man here was me, what else might I have up my sleeve?"

It was working; the men had turned their focus onto him so they didn't notice Carina as she continued to edge her way around towards the evidence.

"Because we have the guns, and you have nothing but your secretary. Your 'man' is down and your other woman is fleeing. What do you have that we should fear?" The leader made the mistake of moving close enough to put his gun in Neal's face while his associates had also moved too close.

Grinning, Neal went Bryce on them. "That three of us are Federal Agent, and you're under arrest." A quick move to take his head out of the way and then Neal moved his hands in a quick combat move to take the gun, disable it, and throw it away from them.

With the others beginning to realize their mistake, he had to move quickly while they were in range before they could draw their weapons or get away from him.

Keeping his position between Peter, Sara, and their attackers, Neal used his full combat and weapons training to disarm and defeat all of his opponents.

When they were all lying about unconscious, Neal glanced at the evidence to find that the table looked a little emptier than it had been which meant Carina had found something interesting. However, she was nowhere to be seen; she had probably taken some key evidence and disappeared to improve her rating with her agency director. "Figures…" Neal muttered to himself, Carina had a reputation of doing that.

Turning, Neal knew to expect the confusion, but he also saw concern, anger, and fear in Peter's and Sara's eyes.

Clearing his throat, Neal wasn't comfortable stating it, but he'd blown his cover. "When I said there were three Federal Agents, I meant me as the third. I'm a part of a Washington task force. My boss isn't going to be happy with this, but considering that Carina's presence already has her working contingency plans, the timing could be worse."

Hughes came through the earpiece growling at Neal, "Who are you, Caffrey?"

The disappointment in Peter's eyes was too much for Neal, so he didn't look him in the eyes anymore as he moved to help him tend his injury. "Contact Director Diane Beckman. My birth name is Neal, but my legal name… it's best that it isn't disclosed. I have been… clinically killed in action, more than once, thanks to my enemies, so I don't want to risk drawing negative attention."

Sara gasped behind him while Peter's breathing stuttered, but Peter's reaction might have been in response to him using his tie to help stem the blood flow.

There was some noise of exasperated breathing, but Neal didn't pay Hughes' grumbling any mind. His reaction was Beckman's problem.

Peter's and Sara's reactions were more important, but they seemed to still be absorbing the news and the shock of the operation going so badly.

Finally, backup arrived and reassured Neal that medical responders were close behind.

"You'll be just fine, Peter, but El is probably going to be tripping over you for a while. You'll be on medical leave for a few weeks, at least." Neal analyzed Peter's injury. By keeping the focus off of himself, he could put off dealing with Peter's reaction for a while.

Catching his arm, Peter pulled Neal down to his side. "Don't try to run away, Bryce."

Turning to stare at Peter, Neal hadn't expected that, at least not that quickly. "What?"

"You heard me, don't run away, Bryce," Peter looked him in the eyes as he admitted to researching him after all. "I may not know much due to clearance and need to know, but I can connect Carina, to Sarah, to Chuck, to Bryce, and Carina called you Bryce which confirms it. That name gives me enough to know that you were recruited to the CIA during your junior year at university and that there are legendary rumors of the hero you became." Although Peter was in pain, he couldn't help grinning at Neal's shocked expression. "Don't underestimate what I can connect with a name and an evening to research."

Snorting, Neal was amused even as he was a little shocked. "Yeah, but my information is above top secret and need to know… between the Marshalls and the CIA, someone has monitored my information and kept up the red tape barriers most of my life. I'm not that easy to research."

Glad to see the medics coming in with the gurney for the trip to the hospital, Peter had a confession to make. "I might have had a little help. Once I had the basic web figured out, I received a contact from your boss. Beckman said I have some confidentiality forms to look forward to, but I think it's worth it."

With the arrival of the medics, Neal stepped back to get out of the way, but he could see that Peter was accepting his reveal.

He still had Sara to face, but she would need to wait at least as long as it would take to clear up the scene.

The team had already begun removing the unconscious suspects, but the analysis of the evidence and filing the paperwork for the reports would take time. Then there would be visiting Peter in the hospital to make sure he was okay.

"Where is my sister?" Sara suddenly remembered that her sister had disappeared before the action.

"Ha," Neal laughed, "she's probably on her way to Washington by now."

"What?!" Sara was surprised and upset.

"Carina may be capable of teamwork, but she isn't exactly a team player when it comes to taking credit. She's known for running off with evidence and getting the win, even if she wasn't the only one doing the work. That's part of what she didn't explain when she talked about how she climbed the ranks of the DEA."

"She left us?" Sara was still trying to process her sister's desertion.

Turning to put a hand on each of Sara's shoulders, Neal made her look at him. "Sara, Carina is a DEA agent who specializes in black ops level operations. She's made a career off of taking down big organizations and handling extremely dangerous assignments. Her work often requires her to get the target and get out, and sometimes, habit is hard to break. Besides, she wasn't worried about your safety, she knew that I was between you and the danger, and my work history includes high profile protection detail. I would never let anyone hurt you or Peter, and she trusted me to blow my cover, use my skills, and keep you safe."

"But she left…" Sara was trying not to cry, but whether it was anger or pain, Neal didn't know.

Pulling her into a hug, Neal held her comfortingly. "It's alright, she'll be back… or I'll hunt her down," Neal added the last part more to himself than Sara. He wasn't going to let Carina break her sister's heart now that she had found her. She needed to keep in contact, at least communication to confirm that she was alright, along with the occasional visit when she could manage.

When she was ready, Neal let her go but pulled her along with him since she was too curious to remain behind.

There was work to do; the rest of their conversation would have to wait.

*******

After they'd finished their work, Neal went to the hospital with Sara to visit Peter. Sharing a taxi, they finally got the chance to talk along the way.

"So…" Sara was unsure about how to start the conversation.

"Are you mad?" Neal had at least one question that he needed to be answered.

Looking at him, like she was watching the lights play over his face, Sara took a few moments to make her decision. "No, I'm not mad; I think I'm more surprised than anything. There was no hint of any of this; it contradicts what I know of you… knew of you."

Reaching out to take her hand, Neal knew he had some explaining to do. "The short of it is that my life got complicated when I was three. At eighteen, I chose to go to college and find a life for myself. I got recruited into government work junior year, and I now perform as an alternate version of myself. My job is to protect my family, to do what my father should have done when I was three. Although there are things that I haven't told anyone here, things that I've needed to keep secret for everyone's safety, you do generally know me for who I am, just not all of who I am."

"What do I not know about you, that isn't a safety issue?" Sara asked the obvious question, she wanted to know what she'd been missing.

"Well," Neal leaned back into the seat to think about what he needed to tell her. "Starting at the beginning, I was born and grew up in DC, before my dad changed sides in law enforcement causing the rest of us to move to St Louis when I was three. At eighteen, I went to college at Stanford where Chuck was my roommate. My degrees are in accounting and computer engineering. In addition to the languages that Peter has noted, I also speak Klingon and multiple programming languages. I paid for college on track scholarships which means I also competed through senior year. Hmmm," he tried to think if he was missing anything, "and I think the rest of it goes into government work for the most part."

Intrigued, Sara lifted his hand to examine it. "You're a nerd? Are there any comic books tucked away in any nooks at the loft?"

Chuckling, Neal appreciated her humor. "There might be, but that would be telling. Now I suppose you'll have something else to look for, something more entertaining than trying to find contraband."

"Speaking of contraband, I assume my Raphael has something to do with the government?" Sara had wanted her painting since it caused them to cross paths, so Neal was more surprised that it had taken this long to come up.

"Yes, technically, you'd have to take that up with Washington. I tend to toe the line in my work, I'm straight-laced. However, my boss could swap some stories with Peter confirming my ability to color outside of the lines, when the situation calls for desperate measures anyway." Neal smirked at her in amusement.

"And here I thought I lived for my work after I got into insurance, but at least I'm not working all the time. You take it to a whole new level," Sara seemed a little amused, but also thoughtful. This was a lot to learn in a short period of time.

"Yeah, I'm good at taking my work to the extreme; I've lived and died the job. The things I've been involved with though, they're important, there's always been too much to risk, I can't risk not doing the best I can." The lives of his family and friends, the Intersect, there was always something important that made the risk worth the while.

Holding his hand tighter, Sara gasped again. She didn't like the reminder that he'd technically died before, that his life was expendable for the job. "You mentioned something of that before…"

Shifting closer to her despite the seat belts, Neal pulled his hand away to wrap his arm around her. "It's never stuck, I'm here, and I'll always do my best to be here for you."

Turning to lean into his shoulder, she took a fistful of his jacket and held on.

Putting his other hand to hold the back of her head comfortingly, Neal cradled her into himself.

*******

Sitting in a chair next to Sara, Neal remained close but left the main space for Elizabeth to fret over Peter.

"He'll be alright, Elizabeth." Neal reinforced what Peter had been trying to say to Elizabeth, but she couldn't get past the fear of Peter being more severely injured.

Getting up, and putting a hand on each of her shoulders so that she was forced to stop, Neal had Elizabeth look at Peter. "See, it was only a flesh wound, he'll be out of here and back home in the morning."

Reaching out and taking his wife's hand, Peter gave a squeeze. "Neal knows what he's talking about, hon. I'm fine, my leg will heal."

Settling onto the edge of the bed, she seemed to be finally working past some of her nervous energy. "I know, but I can't stop worrying about how it could have gone differently."

"Neal handled the situation and we all got through." Peter continued to rub his thumb across her hand in a comforting gesture.

Confused, Elizabeth apparently hadn't heard about Neal's true affiliations.

Neal put his hands in his pockets and shrugged his shoulders while cocking his head to the side as he admitted, "Hum, El, I'm actually a deep-cover CIA agent on a loan assignment to play an alternate version of myself to protect my family. I have Black Ops combat and weapon's training, I've faced far worse in the field."

That was a revelation to her and Elizabeth was curious to learn about him.

Prepared for an extensive question and answer session, Neal settled in and did the best he could to answer their questions without inflicting danger.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, everyone, for reading, and commenting/reviewing, leave kudos, choosing to favorite my stories and me, and following :D  
> Alrighty, I posted Quinis' birthday story the other day so 'Two is Trouble' is up if anyone hasn't seen it :D  
> On a sad note, our fuzzball likely has terminal cancer and although we can't confirm the diagnosis, the process would kill her, her long-term illness and rapid decline in health this week aren't good indications :(

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you, everyone, for reading, commenting/reviewing, choosing to favorite, following me, and leaving kudos :D


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